UFC Fight Night 62 results recap: Next matches to make for 'Maia vs LaFlare' main card winners in Brazil

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to Rio de Janeiro this past Saturday night (March 21, 2015) for the exciting UFC Fight Night 62: "Maia vs LaFlare" event, which took place live on FOX Sports 1 inside the Ginasio do Maracanazinho.

The main event was likely the worst contest of the evening, as Demian Maia easily out-grappled formerly undefeated Ryan LaFlare en route to a 25-minute unanimous decision victory (highlights here). Even with the impressive victory, Maia's antics in the fifth that saw him get docked a point for butt-scooting sure won't help his cause in garnering more fans.

The co-main event was a much more enthralling fixture, pitting first-round dynamo Erick Silva against the original UFC heel in Josh Koscheck. Many counted "Kos" out in this short-notice bout, and while their predictions ultimately did come to fruition, the former No. 1 welterweight contender looked pretty good early on in the first round before submitting to a guillotine choke.

Check out the highlights here.

With that quick recap of last night's marquee bouts, it's now time to play matchmaker with our "Next Matches To Make."

Winner: Godofredo Pepey

Who Should He Fight Next: Jeremy Stephens

After starting off his UFC career 1-3 and on the verge of being cut, Godofredo Pepey has rebounded exceptionally well, capping off a three-fight finish winning streak by submitting Andre Fili with what was essentially a flying triangle at UFC Fight Night 62.

Most expected the Team Alpha Male prospect to run through the Brazilian in his home country, but Pepey proved to be a lot more dangerous than many initially believed.

While I doubt Pepey would fare well against a ranked opponent, I certainly believe his three straight finishes earned him a shot at proving everyone wrong once again.

If that is the case, why not match up the exciting finisher with the heavy-handed Jeremy Stephens?

Winner: Gilbert Burns

Who Should He Fight Next: Winner of Paul Felder vs Jim Miller at UFC on FOX 15

It is quite difficult to predict a fight in the UFC's lightweight division, considering how many quality fighters there are beyond the top-15 rankings.

With that being said, I highly doubt UFC matchmakers opt to reschedule the initially planned scrap between Gilbert Burns and No. 9 ranked Josh Thomson after "Durinho" struggled mightily against short-notice replacement Alex Oliveira in Rio.

Regardless, the Blackzilian prospect dug deep and pulled off a miraculous armbar late in the fight to continue his impressive streak inside the Octagon.

For his next fight, I'd love to see the jiu-jitsu champ face off against another elite level black belt in Jim Miller, or take on a savvy striker in Paul Felder. With those two men facing off next month at UFC on FOX 15, the timeline is right for Burns to fight the winner.

Winner: Amanda Nunes

Who Should She Fight Next: Holly Holm

Oh the violence that would be a Holly Holm vs. Amanda Nunes fight!

Of all the fights on this list, I truly hope this is the one Joe Silva and I agree upon.

After Nunes' savage beatdown over Shayna Baszler at UFC Fight Night 62, "The Lioness" once again cemented herself as a top contender in the 135-pound weight class. With Miesha Tate, Jessica Eye, and Bethe Correia all locked up for their next fights, the only contenders left are Holm and Nunes.

With Holm picking up a solid win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 184, the timing works well for this women's bantamweight collision to come to fruition.

Winner: Leonardo Santos

Who Should He Fight Next: Johnny Case

Leonardo Santos is getting into his groove inside the Octagon with two straight victories. Earning his second submission victory at UFC Fight Night 62, Santos made a statement to the 155-pound weight class that he is a force to be reckoned with on the mat.

With so many prospects coming up the ranks in the lightweight division, it makes sense to pit the up-and-comers against each other to weed out the weaker competition.

In my opinion, the most exciting fight we could see Santos in next would be against Johnny Case.

Winner: Erick Silva

Who Should He Fight Next: Jake Ellenberger

Erick Silva may truly be one of the most dangerous first-round fighters in all of MMA.

In his six Octagon victories, Silva has finished each and every opponent in the first round, fighting a combined 12:52 in those fights. At UFC Fight Night 62, Silva choked out Josh Koscheck at 4:21 in the first round.

Silva's victory over Koscheck earned him his long-awaited first UFC win streak, and I expect the Brazilian berserker to get another crack at a top 15 opponent his next time out.

Why not take on the man that just submitted Koscheck only three weeks ago? Jake Ellenberger.

Winner: Demian Maia

Who Should He Fight Next: Tarec Saffiedine

Do I actually want to watch Demian Maia fight Tarec Saffiedine? Absolutely not, but it is basically the only choice UFC matchmakers have in the welterweight landscape.

Maia has rebounded from back-to-back losses with a two-fight winning streak, but his finishing ability is definitely waning as he grows older. While the jiu-jitsu ace did look to finish LaFlare multiple times over the first four rounds, Maia simply could not get the job done.

With not much room to move forward, I expect Maia to take on the former Strikeforce champ next. Let's just hope it doesn't turn into a snoozefest like Maia's fight with LaFlare.

That's a wrap.

For complete UFC Fight Night 62 results and coverage of all the night's action click here.